Summary Writing Practices

​Summary Writing Practices

• ​A Summary answers the question: "What".

• ​Includes key points from reading.

• ​Used in Focused Notes

How to write a summary

• Read the text a few times until you understand well.

• Identify the main idea, message of the whole article (write in your own words).

• Take notes on the text in short phrases/key words.

• Put the text away and use just your notes to write a summary --- don't look at the original text.

• Include a sentence at the beginning show the main idea and the original source (title, author).

• Check your summary with the original to make sure the meaning hasn't changed.

Multiple Choice

_____ is shorter than the original text

• A paraphrase

• A summary

Multiple Choice

_____ includes only main ideas.

• A paraphrase

• A summary

Multiple Choice

The 2014 FIFA World Cup will be held in Brazil. It will be the 20th year of the World Cup. Brazil was chosen in October of 2007 to host the 2014 competition. Earlier in the year, South America had been chosen as the continent for the contest. Brazil was the only country to put in a bid. This is the second time Brazil will host the World Cup. The country hosted it in 1950. It is the first World Cup to be held in South America since 1978, when Argentina hosted. No other South American country has hosted the World Cup more than once.

The summary of this passage is:

• The 20th World Cup will take place in 2014. In 2007, it was decided that the competition would be held in South America. It is the first World Cup in South America since 1978.

• In October 2007, Brazil was chosen to host the 20th World Cup. Brazil has already hosted the World Cup before. 1978 was the last time a South American country hosted the World Cup.

• The 2014 World Cup will be held in Brazil. It is the second time Brazil has been chosen to host the World Cup. Brazil is the only South American country to host the World Cup twice.

• Early in 2007, South America was chosen as the continent for the 20th World Cup. Brazil was the only country that put in a bid. Brazil hosted the World Cup before in 1950.

Multiple Choice

A summary should be written in your own words.

• True

• False

A good summary-

• names the title and author of the work you are summarizing

• states the original writer's ideas in your own words

• includes the main ideas

• leaves out details that are not important

Multiple Choice

What is the definition of a summary?

• A condensed version of text that defines your scope and focus.

• A condensed version of text that only includes the main ideas.

• A condensed version of text that gives insight on the development on a topic.

Multiple Choice

San Francisco is located on the coast of California in an area often called the Bay Area. The weather is generally very mild, seldom getting really cold or really hot. Its mild climate is one reason many people live there. It seldom snows in San Francisco and generally does not get below freezing during the winter. Even in the middle of summer, temperatures may be in the mid 80s with a cool breeze from the bay keeping the weather very comfortable.

• San Francisco has many neat things to do.

• It seldom snows in California.

• Many people choose to live in California.

• The weather in San Francisco is generally very mild.

Multiple Choice

11. Tomorrow is Jill's birthday. She is excited because she gets to pick where she will eat dinner. Will it be Mexican food at the Big Enchilada House? Or will it be fried chicken at the Chicken Shack, or a big cheeseburger at Al's Hamburger Palace. She just couldn't decide. Then there was always the Pizza Shop with that great pepperoni pizza. How would she ever decide? Maybe she would just flip a coin.

The Summary of this passage is:

• A. Jill has many restaurants to choose from for her birthday.

• B. The Pizza Shop has the best pizza in town.

• C. Jill loves Mexican food.

• D. Jill will choose a place by flipping a coin.

Multiple Choice

13. For the walls, Jenny thought she would use a bright yellow paint. She would pick a border that had mostly bright red and green colors, and maybe a little bit of blue. She already had found some curtains that were sky blue with streaks of red, blue and yellow that she thought would go great with the walls. And finally, she had picked a carpet that was mostly blue with specks of red and yellow. Jenny couldn't wait till she was done decorating her room. It was really going to look awesome.

The Summary of this passage is:

• A. Jenny likes bright colors.

• B. Jenny was going to paint her room.

• C. Jenny was picking out colors and materials to decorate her room.

• D. Yellow is a good color to paint your walls.

Multiple Choice

16. The first book Chris read in fifth grade was about a lost kitten. Then he read a book about a family of bears, and then he read about a wild kangaroo in Australia. It seems every book Chris reads is about animals. Last week he found a good book about snakes and reptiles, and another book about elephants. Today Chris went to the library, and he checked out a book about dolphins, whales and other animals that live in the sea.

The Summary of this passage is:

• A. The first book Chris read in fifth grade was about a lost kitten.

• B. Chris went to the library, and he checked out a book about dolphins, whales etc.

• C. Chris reads a lot of books about animals.

• D. Chris is in the fifth grade.

What is a summary?

• Imagine you were telling someone about a movie you just watched

• A summary would include JUST the IMPORTANT parts of the book or movie you are sharing about!

Multiple Choice

If you are feeling sad, you can make yourself feel better by doing a few simple things. You can take a walk (or get another form of exercise), you can talk to a friend, or you can write down your feelings. Writing down the good things in your life will help too. Doing something good for someone else will also help you feel better. If you still feel a little sad, act happy. It works like magic to make you feel better!

What is the main idea?

• Sometimes people feel sad.

• You should do good things for others.

• We're not always happy.

• There are many ways to make yourself feel better.

Multiple Choice

Approximately how long is a well written summary?

• 3-4 sentences

• 5-8 sentences

• 20-25 sentences

Multiple Choice

How are paraphrasing and summarizing different?

• Paraphrasing is longer and more detailed.

• Paraphrasing and summarizing are exactly the same.

• A summary uses your own words, but a paraphrase does not.

• A summary is closest to the original quote.

Multiple Choice

Which of the following statements about SUMMARIZING is true?

• The Summary is a thought that is true but is not in the passage.

• The Summary is what the passage is mostly about.

• The Summary is specific, detailed information contained in the passage.

• The Summary is always found in the first sentence of the passage.

Multiple Choice

Key ideas are-

• small details that help the reader visualize the text.

• the main idea

• the most important ideas that support the thesis

• statments that introduce the main idea of the text.

Multiple Choice

Summarize the following passage:

Johnny ran through the neighborhood, desperately looking for a toy for his younger sister. He saw many shops that looked promising, but he had no idea what to get her. After several hours of searching, his older brother suggested that he look online for things sisters like. Within 10 minutes of browsing the web, Johnny found the right toy for his sister. Her birthday was going to be amazing.

• Johnny wanted to get a toy for his younger sister, but he didn't know what to get, so he looked online for help, then he found the perfect toy.

• Johnny wanted to run around the neighborhood, but he didn't find his sister, so he went online for help, then he found his sister.

• Johnny wanted to surf the web for 10 minutes, but his brother wanted a birthday party, so he looked for a toy for his sister, then he asked his brother for help.

• Johnny wanted to forget about his sister, but her birthday was coming up, so he asked his brother for advice, then he searched the web.

Multiple Choice

What order do you complete the Cornell Notes?

• 1) Summary

  2) Note Taking

  3) Write Questions & Keywords

• 1) Note Taking

  2) Write Questions & Keywords

  3) Summary

• 1) Write Questions & Keywords

  2) Summary

  3) Note Taking

• 1) Note Taking

  2) Summary

  3) Write Questions & Keywords

​Paraphrase: taking an idea or text and putting it in your OWN words. It is not copying word for word or summarizing; it's simply REWORDING the information.

Multiple Choice

What's the difference between summarizing and paraphrasing?

• Paraphrasing involves putting a passage from source material into your own words. ... Summarizing involves putting the main idea(s) into your own words, including only the main point(s).

• Summarizing involves putting a passage from source material into your own words. Paraphrasing involves putting the main idea(s) into your own words, including only the main point(s).

• paraphrasing

  allows you to share the exact phrases of the author, while summarizing

  allow you to show your understanding and interpretation of a text.

Paraphrase Vs. Summary

• A paraphrase records a short passage; a summary records a passage of any length.

• A paraphrase covers every point in the passage; a summary condenses and includes only main ideas.

• A paraphrase records ideas in the same order as the original passage; a summary changes the order of ideas when necessary to make the summary more coherent.

• A paraphrase does not interpret; a summary might explain or interpret.

• A paraphrase is a bit shorter than the original; a summary is much shorter than the original.